The present invention relates to multi-user computer applications. More specifically, the present invention relates to a collaborative object architecture for use with networked computers.
Advances in computer technology and the advent of the Internet have enabled geographically distributed computer users to execute computer programs from points around the world. Examples of distributed programs include computer chat rooms, conferencing programs and gaming programs, each of which allow multiple computer users to interactively exchange information in real time. For instance, a computer chat room can allow a number of distributed users to view conversational text as it is typed by any one of the individual users, a conferencing application may allow geographically distributed users to collectively draft and edit a single text document, and gaming programs can allow multiple users to compete or collaborate in a virtual gaming environment.
In order to perform distributed programming, it is necessary for two individual processes to maintain a bi-directional communication stream. The term xe2x80x9cprocessxe2x80x9d refers to an active execution of a computation, and is also commonly referred to as a task, job, or thread. Distributed programming is frequently based on the client-server paradigm, wherein a process executing on a client system communicates with a process executing on a server system.
In the client-server paradigm, a client process makes requests for access to, and information from, a server process. A client process and server process can be executing on the same computer system or they can be executing on separate networked systems. In an architecture where a server is accessible by a network, such as the Internet, a large number of client systems from around the world can make requests on a server system.
Distributed programs, however, typically are only distributed to the extent that multiple client systems have access to a program running on a server system that operates with request and wait remote procedure calls (RPCs). In these architectures, the client systems request a service from the server system and wait for a response before proceeding. Such architectures require substantial network resources to keep the client systems updated with changes to the program. As the number of users increases network and other computing resources required to provide satisfactory performance also increases. For these reasons, prior art distributed programs typically do not provide a scalable, near real time collaborative environment.
What is needed is an improved architecture that provides objects distributed among multiple computer systems that act as a single object.
A collaborative object architecture is described. A pod application runs on a server computer system. Applets run on one or more client computer systems coupled to the server computer system via a network. Each pod and a corresponding applet on each client computer system comprises a collaborative object. In one embodiment, pods have multiple constituent parts having corresponding constituent parts in each corresponding applet. Changes generated by a constituent part in an applet are processed locally and communicated to the pod. The applet continues normal operation without waiting for a response from the pod. When the pod receives the changes, the corresponding constituent part processes the changes and communicates the changes to the applets that have not processed the changes. In one embodiment, multiple changes are communicated in a single message packet.